Difference
by rowlingrulz
Summary: She giggled. Draco Malfoy, the pureblood prince, crying? With a triumphant look, she shouted "Expelliarmus!"


It feels so different.

Even though I have known this place for eight years, it feels lonely to step into the great hall without Ron or Harry. Even though I write to them every four days, I miss them. At least, I have Ginny's company. But god knows how much she must have missed Harry. They were separated for an year already, and rekindled when everything was over.

Harry and Ginny's relation became public, after Rita Skeeter saw them go together in Diagon Alley. Needless to say, she wrote an article for almost a whole page in the Daily Prophet. I thought Molly was going to have a rage when she finds out, but she was happy. After all, she had been dying to get Harry into the family.

Ron. Personally, I think he is a great guy, but he gets far too nervous. He asked me out on our first date, to a muggle restaurant, and sat there for hours playing with his fingers. Whenever I initiate a conversation, he starts mumbling, and he looks flushed. After fifteen minutes, he ran out, telling me he wants to use the loo. I left without telling him, and we avoided each other.

Hogwarts. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish seventh year, and delighted would be an underestimation for my feelings when the letter came. It gave us an option to redo our seventh year as the eight years, along with the present seventh year. Harry and Ron didn't want to come, and began their auror training.

So, I have Ginny with me this year.

As I entered the hall, I was surprised to see people standing all over, and there were no tables.

"What's going on?" I asked Ginny.

"No idea."

"Hey, Hermione!" I turned, and saw Luna waving at me.

"Luna! How good to see you." I hugged her. "How's your father?"

"He is all right." Luna said, bitterly. "I cursed him first thing I came home. The nerve he had, to give away you three!"

I laughed, thinking about Luna cursing Xenophilius. Must've been fun.

"Attention, everybody."

It was McGonagall. Everybody turned.

"I am pleased to welcome everybody for the start of this year. Especially, those who have come to redo their eight year." She clapped, everybody following suit.

"This year, we have decided to mark it as unity year. The reason for the loss of so many lives last year, is because of differences. So this year, there will be no differences."

"Which means…." Parvati thought, frowning.

"Which means, no houses." McGonagall finished for her. A babble of talk erupted over the then silent hall.

"SILENCE!" McGonagall shouted, and coughed slightly. The room once again hushed up.

"So, there will be no house tables, but we will have quidditch matches by forming random teams. Matches will be held once a week-"

Again, the hall erupted but with cheers. Then it suddenly became silent, when Professor Flitwick cast a silencing charm.

"Thank you, Filius. Matches will be held every week, and ever student is mandatory to participate in atleast one match." This time, no shouts came because of another silencing charm. Otherwise, the whole hall would've known how loud I, Hermione Jean Granger can shout. Me and quidditch are far away. Not even sticking charms can bring us together.

"To point two, we have just now selected the heads. The head girl, though everyone must have guessed, seeing the battle last year, is Hermione Granger! On to the stage, Miss Ganger."

Wow. I had a smile plastered in my face as I ascended the steps to the dais. I smiled at Ginny, now with all the remaining DA people, who have come to school this year. They whistled as I shook hands with McGonagall.

"The head boy is Draco Malfoy."

My face fell, and I could count the people clapping. Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, McGonagall, some first years and me, for courtesy sake. Draco Malfoy? The arrogant Slytherin git, the pureblood prince and the death eater, made the headboy? Whose father is currently rotting in Azkaban?

It is unbelievable.

Draco Malfoy looked the same as ever. White, expressionless eyes, that swept the room and thin, smirking lips. He walked across me, and I noticed he was a foot taller. He shook hands with McGonagall, whom I currently feel disgusted about. And stood beside me, head held high. The nerve of him! He had to beg Harry twice for his life, and he owed us one, but still had the pride to stand like he was a war hero.

"Thank you, Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy. You may now go back. Oh, everybody move aside," Professor McGonagall made miniature tables appear out of thin air, just like in the Yule ball. Each table had ten chairs surrounding it. "And," Professor McGonagall said, "Eat. And I forgot, Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy, follow me."

With that, she turned, and took the staircase leading to the astronomy tower.

When we reached the tower, I noticed Malfoy was missing. Anger boiled up inside me. How can defy what the headmistress said? Especially, as she chose him, as the head boy?

"I'll get Malfoy, professor." I said, determined to drag him here. As I descended the first set of stairs, I heard a sniff. I went around to see who it was.

What. The. Hell.

I giggled silently. Draco Malfoy, the pureblood prince was crying? With a triumphant look in my face, I cried- "Expelliarmus!"

Malfoy jumped when he heard my voice, but having had his wand jerked away made him turn and cry more. Slightly concerned, I asked in a less-than-icy voice. "What's the matter, Malfoy?"

Malfoy hurriedly wiped the tears and looked into my eyes. "Nothing, Granger. Leave me alone."

Now I was seriously concerned. The Malfoy I knew would atleast call me a mudblood in this kind of situation. Something's wrong here. He must have had a serious emotional strain. Hey, but this is Draco Malfoy! He made your life a living hell. Just laugh, throw a jelly-Legs jinx, and hurl his wand into the Forbidden forest. But no. Something, something held me rooted to the spot.

The next thing I knew, I moved closer to him. I slipped his wand into his pocket. He was startled, and turned to meet my eyes again.

"Draco." He flinched, hearing his first name. "Something's bothering you. I know that. After all, I am not the brightest witch of my age for nothing." I gave a small smile.

Malfoy stared at me for a few minutes. He sighed. "This is all so new to me." He said.

"What? I asked him. I kept a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Please, don't go." He asked pleadingly.

"I will, if you don't tell me what happened."

"Everything happened!" He said, tears leaking out of his eyes. This was when I realized his eyes were full of feelings, and silver. Not white and wasted, as I thought.

"I hate this life, Hermione. I always wanted to call you by this name. I hated the bunch of idiots whom I had around me, who everyone calls my family. I hate what I did all these years, and regret them so badly, the guilt and the pain killing me. I, I hate myself."

He shut his eyes tight and continued. "I never knew what caring meant, not until a few seconds ago. No one had cared for me. Do you know, I so liked Gryffindor. But my father," He spat the word. "He said he would throw me out if I landed up into something other than Slytherin. He told me the sorting hat only takes your desires at the first account. I didn't have a choice."

"I found Crabbe and Goyle were spies for my dad to make sure I was living to my status. The pureblood nonsense he fed me, I hated every letter of it. Every insult I called you, Weasley and Potter, I regret it. Every time I called you a mudblood, it stabbed my heart."

"You have no idea how I felt when my bitch of an aunt tortured you and carved that…that word in your arm. I felt like someone had cast the crucio spell on me. All through, I had been a waste of space, a lifeless puppet whose strings were controlled by others around me."

"I had swallowed all these feelings since Potter won. But, you know, when McGonagall led me to the astronomy tower, it…it washed me away. Like a huge wave. Because, two years ago, that's where I realized I didn't have a life. And I was weak. Arrogance was what I used to hide my weakness. Dum…Dumbledore told me what my life was, Hermione. He told me I was not a murderer. And, truth to be told, I was not strong to raise my hand at all. I was a coward. My…family. They ate away my strengths. And now I am alone. I don't need those Slytherins to be beside me, now that Lucius is rotting away, like he should."

"You, Hermione, on the other hand, was opposite of everything I am. You were brave, you chose to raise your hand rather than become someone's inferior. You, are way ahead of me, and have all rights to taunt me now, how much ever I crave for your friendship. I don't deserve your company." He turned gently removed my hand from his shoulder. "You shouldn't be doing this, Hermione. I don't know how they didn't put me in Azkaban. They just gave me a truth potion and I let out everything. And they released me. So, lead the life you had, and don't give a thought for me, I've done so much things hurtful to you. Having you here is just as torturing." He got up, and climbed the stairs.

I followed him noiselessly. He came to the astronomy tower, and stood in the exact spot where he disarmed Dumbledore. He took a galleon from his pocket, and lightly tapped it with his wand. It turned into a large, red locket. He held it close to his heart.

I had to have this transfigured. This is something I charmed myself, and it kept company for me last year." He opened the locket, and a brilliant yellow light burst from it. I saw there was a photo of Albus Dumbledore who was smiling.

"Sorry." Draco whispered to the photo.

"You know I had planned this, Draco. If you hadn't disarmed me from the elder wand, Harry wouldn't have killed Voldermort" Dumbledore in the picture said, and smiled.

"Wait." I said. "Is that the original? Because it can communicate with you."

"No, it is not real. It is dark magic, but nothing injurious." He said. "Actually, it is old magic, rather than dark magic. It was very difficult to apply it.

The locket picture began to fade and was being replaced with a new one.

"Narcissa?" I asked questioningly.

"Yep. My mum." Draco smiled. "She was the only one who gave a little of love, and she meant the world to me. I couldn't see her much the last year. Heck, I could see nobody much the last year. I had to keep staring at the ground to avoid staring into Voldermort's eyes."

The picture again changed. This time, I let a gasp of surprise.

In the centre, was me, Hermione. In the either side, there were Ron and Harry.

"I used to look into this everyday, and used to tell you people to get it over with these dark days fast. Because, Potter is the boy who lived, right?"

"And you, Hermione, I used to look into your face for hours. It gave me some strength, I dunno why." He turned around and cried again.

"Draco." I said. He turned his eyes bloodshot and red.

"Draco, you and I are not different. You were totally different from Lucius, Voldermort, and Bellatrix."

"How can you say that, Hermione? I am as good as their partner in crime!"

"No, Draco. You felt for what you did. And you had love in you. The locket is enough proof, you are not like them."

I sat closer and draped my arm over his. "I don't blame you, Draco. Yow were forced and you didn't have the choice."

"How do you know I am telling the truth?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"I just know." I said, and smiled. "Let's start a new beginning. Friends?"

"Friends." He smiled. "Thanks, Hermione. I'm so sorry."

"Oh, you can do something to make for all you did."

"Hmm? Like?"

"Like helping me in quidditch. Since it's been made compulsory."

"My pleasure." He laughed.

McGonagall stood leaning on the wall, smiling. She knew Draco and Hermione would come to an understanding soon enough, but this was sooner.


End file.
